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Ranji Trophy, Group B: UP in trouble; Rajasthan in strong position

UP lost four wickets after Saurashtra\'s massive 632, while Bist and Bishnoi slammed centuries as Rajasthan overhauled Services\' first innings total.

Rajkot: Saurashtra on Saturday took complete control of their group B Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh by first amassing 632 and then sending four batsmen of the rival team to pavilion.

Replying to Saurashtra's 632 for 7, the visitors were 226 for 4, losing among others the in-form captain Suresh Raina, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) stadium at Khandheri. Parvinder Singh (26) and Arish Alam (33) were at the crease at the end of the third day's play. The visitors need another 256 runs to avoid follow-on.

Replying to Saurashtra's 632 for 7, the Uttar Pradesh's first challenge was to avoid follow-on. Abhishek Bhatt gave the hosts first breakthrough when he trapped Tanmay Srivastav (7) in front of wicket in the fourth over.

Dagar, who held one end, was caught by Kamlesh Makwana off Dharmendra Jadeja after making a composed 92 occupying the crease for three hours facing 135 balls with 16 fours and a six. Parvinder Singh and Arish Alam made sure there was no further damage by adding 59 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket partnership.

For Saurashtra, Unadkat took two wickets conceding only 15 runs in his 15 overs while Abhishek Bhatt and Dharmendra Jadeja shared a wicket each giving away 31 runs and 89 runs respectively.

Earlier, resuming at overnight 570 for 7, Kamlesh Makwana and Dharmendra Jadeja continued to frustrate the UP bowlers and stretched the Saurashtra total to 632 before the hosts skipper declared the innings.

Makwana, who was batting on 63 on Friday, completed his second century of the career and remained unbeaten on 101 in the company of Dharmendra Jadeja (20) as the two added 66 runs without getting separated. For Uttar Pradesh, Piyush Chawla grabbed three wickets conceding 165 runs while Imtiaz Ahmed took 2 wickets for 14 runs.

New Delhi: Robin Bist and Rajesh Bishnoi slammed centuries as Rajasthan overhauled Services' first innings total by reaching 345 for three in their first innings on the third day of their Group A Ranji Trophy match against Services.

Bist (batting on 107) and Bishnoi (117) shared a huge 210-run stand for the third wicket to take Rajasthan to an unbeatable position with one day left in the match. Services had made 325 all out in their first innings from 105.2 overs.

Rajasthan added 214 runs on Saturday after resuming the day at 131 for 2 and they now have a first innings lead of 20 runs. Bishnoi, who was the last man out, hit 13 fours and a six from the 267 balls he faced while Bist had so far consumed 344 deliveries in his unbeaten knock of 107 which he made with the help of seven fours and a six.

Pacer Suraj Yadav broke the third-wicket partnership in the final session of the day as he had Bishnoi caught behind by wicketkeeper Nakul Verma. Captain Ashok Menaria was giving Bist company on four at the draw of stumps.

Services bowlers had to toil hard all day long as they could grab just one wicket - that of Bishnoi off Suraj Yadav - at the Model Sports Complex at Palam here.

At Vadodara, Arindam Ghosh hit an unbeaten double hundred to help Railways take control of their Ranji Trophy match against Baroda as they posted 441 for 8 declared in their first innings on day 3.

At the close of play, Baroda were 33 for one in their second innings still needing 233 runs with nine wickets in hand for making Railways to bat again in their second innings at the Moti Bagh Stadium.

Ghosh came up with an unfinished 380-ball 208 after starting the day at 76 with Railways on 208 for 3. Ghosh blasted 24 boundaries and a couple of sixes in his innings.

Harshad Rawle was the first to be dismissed on Saturday after he could only add 10 runs to his overnight score of 50. Mahesh Rawat (67) gave Ghosh good company in the middle, hitting a fifty which was laced with six fours.

The fourth wicket partnership between Ghosh and Rawle (60) added 147 runs followed by the fifth wicket stand of 171 runs between Rawat and Ghosh. Gagandeep Singh took three wickets conceding 94 runs and Bhargav Bhatt snapped two for 167, while Munaf Patel and Murtuza Vohra took one wicket each.

In their second essay, Baroda lost the wicket of Aditya Waghmode (1), while Sourabh Wakaskar (27) and Abhimanyu Chauhan (4) were at the crease when the stumps were drawn for the day.